Hay-rack.



J. A. MALCIK.

HAY RACK.

APPLICATION Flu-:n Nov. 6. 19:5.

Patented. Nov. 7, 1916.

j "ilszwwzgr# Z6 13 Il 6 J3 WITNESSES.- J6 J J6 Z6 Jahn/A. MaladeINVENTOR @MTBE STATES FATENT @FFQEQ JOI-IN A. IVIALCIK,` OF CISTERN,TEXAS.

HAY-RACK.

Application filed November 6, 1915.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. MALCIK, a citizenof the United States, residing at Cistern, in thecounty of Fayette, andState of Texas, have invented a new and useful lay-Rack, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved hay rack, and has for an object toprovide a device of this character which is portable for carrying loadsof hay, and which may also be used as a stationary rack for feedingpurposes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a rack of suchconstruction that it will retain the load of hay placed therein fromscattering or falling from the top of the rack when the latter issubjected to jarring, incident to its transportation, and which is ofsuch structure that it may be readily placed and removed with respect tothe running gear of an Iordinary wagon without knocking down oradjusting any of the parts of the rack or running gear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack which is light inweight, which may be manufactured from galvanized sheet iron, or otherlight material, which may be easily handled, and which requires nofastening means and no adjustment for applying the same to the runninggear of a wagon or mounting the rack on a stationary support.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be fully brought outin the following` description of the present preferred embodiment ofthis invention, the same being disclosed in the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective `view of the present form of this invention;Fig. 2 is a` bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transversesection, taken centrally through the rack; and Fig. L is a fragmentaryenlarged sectional view of the bed frame of the rack, takenlongitudinally through one of the side bars thereof.

Referring` to the drawing, the rack comprises a bed frame composed ofthe elongated side bars 10 joined by spaced apart bars 11 supportingbetween the side cross bars 10 a plurality of slats 12 comprising Theside bars the bottom of the bed frame. 10 are preferably of angle ironconstruction, each having one of its flanges extending horizontallyinward and having its op- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

SeriaI No. 60,004.

posite ange extending upward. The cross bars 11 are also of angle ironconstruction, each having a horizontal flange, engaging at its oppositeends against the lower faces of the side bars 10, and being securedthereto at such point of contact by reinforcing clamps 13. As shown toadvantage in Fig. t of the drawings, the depending flange df each crossbar 11 is notched in its lower edge immediately beneath the adjacentside bar 10. The clamping device 13 is in the form of a bolt threaded atone end for passage through registering apertures provided in thehorizontal flangesof the side and cross bars, and having its lower endoverturned or hooked as at 14; for engagement in the notch. The bolt orclampihg Idevice 13 lies preferably against the inner facev of thedepending flange of the cross bar 11, and serves as a reinforcement forthe cross bar, in that the bolt 13 prevents the flattening or bending ofthe flange of the cross bar. The upper threaded end of the bolt 13receives a binding nut 15 which bears against the upper face of thehori- Zontal flange of the side bar 10, and which, when tightened, drawsthe bolt 13 upward and secures the hook 14 in the flange ,and binds thebars 10 and 11 together. rlhese clamping devices 13 are employed at theopposite ends of the cross bars 11, or at those points only where theside bars 10 are connected to the cross bars. Any number i of cross bars11 .may be employed, but in the construction disclosed in the drawing,three are used, a central cross bar, and forward and rear cross bars.The slats or bottom sections 12 rest upon the cross bars and preferablyextend longitudinally of the bed frame. In the present instance theslats are secured by bolts 16 to all of the cross bars although ifdesired their opposite ends may imply rest upon the forward and rearcross ars.

Spaced above the bed frame and offset outwardly therefrom are upper sidebars 17 of angle iron construction, and which have one of their flangesextending inwardly and downwardly, while their opposite or reinforcingflange extendsv outwardly and downwardly. The upper side bars 17 aresupported upon the bed frame by a plurality of pales 18 which aresecured at their lower ends to the vertical flanges of the side bars 10,and which rise from the bed frame and diverge laterally therefrom. Withthis construction, the upper end of the rack is considerably wider thanthe lower end thereof, and the upper side bars 17 are held fromspreading by end braces 19, which comprise preferably flat bars orstrips of metal apertured at their opposite ends for the reception ofrounded studs 20 and 23 projecting from the ends of the upper and lowerside bars respectively and having transverse openings therethrough forthe reception of cotter pins 21, or other suitable fastening devices.For the purpose of closing the forward and rear ends of the rack, andalso for the purpose of reinforcing the upper portion of the rack, apair of cross braces 22 is placed on each end of the rack, the upperends of the braces 22 being suitably apertured for engagement over thestuds 20 behind the fastening devices 21, while the lower ends of thebraces 22 are suitably apertured for engagement over the studs 23projecting from the opposite ends of the lower side bars 10. The lowerstuds 23 are provided with cotter pins or like fastening devices 24 toretain the lower ends of the braces 22 in place. The end braces 22 arepreferably formed from sheet or strip metal and are secured together bybolts 25 at their crossed portions, which serve to reinforce the ends ofthe rack.

The pales 18 preferably comprise a plurality of flat strips of metalprojecting slightly above the upper side bars 17, and being pointed forengagement with the top of the load of hay placed in the rack, thepoints catching in the top of the load and serving to prevent thejarring or accidental dislodgment of the hay at the top of the rack.These pales 18 are spaced apart longitudinally of the rack a sufficientdistance to admit of the feeding of the contents of the rack, and at thesame time to provide open side frames which will support the load andprevent the hay from falling through the rack.

The rack is adapted to be used for feeding by placing the rack upon asuitable support so as to position the bed frame of the rack within twoor three feet of the ground. The rack is also adapted to be liftedbodily with its contents and placed upon the running gear of the wagonso as to rest flat upon the holsters of the wagon.

While the weight of the rack and its contents will hold the rack on thewagon to some extent, it is an object of this invention to provide meansfor preventing the slipping of the rack upon the running gear withoutthe employment of any fastening devices, and without requiring anyadjustment of the parts of the rack or wagon. To this end, each of thelower side bars 10 is provided, adjacent its rear end, with a dependingbracket 26. These brackets 26 register transversely and are eachcomposed of a single length of strip metal bent to provide a pair ofdepending arms 27 which are longitudinally spaced apart for engagementagainst the forward and rear edges of the holsters of the running gear,the arms 27 being reinforced by the diagonal braces 28, which comprisethe returned ends of the arms, and which are flanged, as at 29, andengage flat against the horizontal flanges of the adjacent side b-ar l0,and are secured thereto by bolts 30 or the like. Each strip is so bentthat the arms 27 are joined at their inner or upper ends by a crosspiece 31 which not only reinforces the bracket, but serves as a bearingplate to rest upon the upper face of the bolsters.

It will thus be noted that the rack of this invention may be madeentirely from sheet metal, which is galvanized or otherwise treated toprevent rusting of the rack. By thus forming a complete rack of sheetmetal, a very light and economically manufactured rack is produced, anda rack which may be readily lifted from its stationary support to thewagon running gear, or which may be carried and handled with relativelygreat ease. The rack may be used not only for the purpose of carryingloads of hay in the manner of an ordinary hay wagon, but may also beused as -a feeder for hay, or for small grain provided the bottom bemade sufficiently tight.

Of course the embodiment of the invention herein shown may be modifiedwithin the scope of the following claims, without departing from thespirit of this invention.

What is claimed is 1. A hay rack comprising upper and lower anglesidebars, angle cross-bars joining the lower side bars, said lower side barsand said cross bars having their horizontal flanges abutting and havingtheir opposite flanges extending respectively upward and downward,bracing clamps securing the overlapping portions of said horizontalflanges together and engaging the vertical anges of the cross bars forsupporting the same, a plurality of slats placed between said lower sidebars and resting upon the cross bars, and an open body rising Vfrom saidlower side bars.

2. A hay rack comprising side bars of angle iron having their horizontalflanges extending inwardly, cross bars of angle iron having theirhorizontal flanges resting against the lower faces of said side bars,means for securing said horizontal flanges together at their abuttingportions, pales rising fromthe vertical flanges of said sideV from theextremities of said upper and lower side bars, end bars oining theopposite ends of said upper side bars, and cross-braces joining theopposite ends of the upper and lower side bars.

3. In a hay rack, longitudinal angle bars having horizontal flanges,cross bars of angle forni having their horizontal flanges abutting thehorizont-al flanges of said longitudinal bars, the vertical flanges ofsaid cross bars eXtending downwardly and having notches in their loweredges immediately beneath the horizontal flanges of said longitudinalbars, hook-bolts passing through the abutting horizontal flanges of saidlongitudinal and cross bars and having the hooks thereof engaging in thenotches of said vertical flanges, said bolts passing upwardly againstthe inner faces of said vertical -a-nges to reinforce the same, andbinding nuts upon the upper ends of said hook-bolts adapted to draw saidhori- Zontal flanges together' and bind the hooks in said notches.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaliiXed iny signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. MALCIK.

IVitnesses Jos. KUNsCHIK, CHALMERs GOSCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

